AAAAArrrrrrgggggggggg !

TAXES ! TAXES ! Arrrrrrggggg!
Every year we have an obligation as citizens to pay our legitimate taxes. Most of us in this country try to pay our fair share, but also want to take advantage of every possible legal deduction. Some of the more subtle parts of the tax code are lost on me, but, Hey! that is what tax software is for, right?

I've used tax software for more years than I can count...but my experience this year has left me a broken shell of my former self :). Intuit's, Turbo Tax Deluxe, recommended for those of us playing with capital gains and capital losses, is a software pile of junk. I've used Intuit for years and years and marvelled at how intuitive (pun intended) it seemed to be. This years distribution is a throwback to the worst software I've used in 10-15 years.

It is not intuitive, it is bull headed! It is not slick, it is gooey. It is not software, it is a headache. :)

Ok, I feel better now. After about 8 hours of tax work I completed my taxes. Last year it took between 3-4 hours. Over half of my time was spent in rebooting the PC due to frozen software, deleting files and re creating files, de-installing the entire application and reinstalling it. Then it took 9 separate attempts to transmit the returns.

Yep, feeling better and better now....the refund will be on its way in a week or two, and when the little bump happens in the account, I'll feel that it was almost worth it.

However, this blog will help me remember to never forget------------>> I'll not buy TURDO TAX again :)

Happy 80th Birthday, Dad !

Yesterday our family and Dad's friends celebrated his 80th birthday. The family gathered for a lunch around noon. The food was as fantastic as the fellowship. Then after lunch, plan B went into effect. This is where we kept Dad busy downstairs while his friends secretly arrived upstairs. When Dad was "allowed" back upstairs we had the huge surprise crowd singing "Happy Birthday!" Thanks to everyone who participated and assisted, and special thanks to my sister-in-law Donna who did the cake.